Chapter 189: Chapter 171.2 : Falling…

‘5 4 3…’

Zigzagging through the trees, Charlotte counted down diligently.

At zero, her eyes flashed with victory’s dazzling light. She ceased her dodging and slid into a kneeling position before whipping around and taking aim. The chasing Emma didn’t falter before the Onic Master’s sights; she took aim herself, trusting that her shot would land first. The Telekinetic’s trust was well placed as she indeed squeezed the trigger first.

But…

Click!

The sound caused the pair’s faces to break out into two very different expressions. Charlotte didn’t waste the golden opportunity. She had a single bullet left but that was enough. Dying her opponent’s pants red, the Onic Master’s face showed a glorious smile. Victory, even small victories, scratched a certain itch in the beauty.

Charlotte approached her defeated foe.

“That was quite the sweat, Emma,” she said, wiping her glistening forehead with her free hand.

Emma had shown none of her usual shyness during the last few minutes. After spotting Charlotte, the Telekinetic went from poodle to hound dog and doggedly pursued the Onic Master for nearly a kilometre, running and gunning with a single-minded focus.

“Anymore running and I’d be out of steam.”

“That was the hope,” Emma said softly, eyes scanning the ground as she retreated into her shell like usual.

“Hmm, you missed the forest for the trees on this one. Better luck next time, Em,” Charlotte patted the other’s shoulder before taking Emma’s gun.

Gun secured, she turned and strode off. Usually, she’d extend her stay and trade a few more words but now wasn’t the time. Her mind remained focused on her overall goal: defeating Ralf.

‘I’m out of ammo, better find a supply point quickly.’ Not wanting to share the same fate as Emma, her gaze roamed in search of ammo. It didn’t take her long to find some.

‘Ah, there you are.’

Some thirty metres away, a metallic rack holding several ammo magazines could be seen. The black rack stood atop a bed - or rather, a small lake of sand. Still reeling from the run, Charlotte opted to close the distance with brisk steps, all the while, taking deliberate breaths to stabilise herself.

She managed to do so upon stepping into the flattish opening. Mind and body rebalanced, she picked up the pace and while on the move, ejected the two empty magazines in order to save time reloading.

The Onic Master was entirely focused on victory and the steps needed to reach it. She scanned the area ahead with keen eyes. Noting no one, relief passed through her heart. However, this relief was short-lived. For while she had checked her one through five and seven through twelve, her six was left unaccounted for.

“Oh, you’re out of ammo too, what a coincidence~”

The voice sent chills down Charlotte’s spine. She turned and lo and behold, Ralf was at her rear, having just stepped into the sandy opening. Her face twisted up upon catching his smiling face. ‘Damn! When did he sneak up on me -no, now’s not the time.’

Instead of cursing or regretting her previous sluggishness, the Onic Master sought a solution to the conundrum she faced. Ten metres separated her from the ammo rack and another ten metres separated her from Ralf. She knew Ralf’s physical capabilities were easily twice hers, but she had to go for it.

Reaching the ammo rack first and reloading was her only hope of victory at this point. Knowing this, Charlotte bolted into action. In an effort to improve her odds, she marshalled all her might, drew back and threw her gun at the still-talking Ralf.

“The ammo rack, who will reach it first, I wonde- ah…”

Seeing him move to catch it, Charlotte rejoiced internally; that would give her a second more to work with. She turned tail and sprinted to the ammo rack, pushing her exhausted body to its limits.

‘Not bad,’ Ralf commented as he took in her decisive actions. ‘But eagerness can lead to your downfall,’ he flashed a smile then remained idle no more.

Hearing the violent shifting of sand at her rear, Charlotte found a second wind and sped up further.

‘Come on, almost there…’

Gaze fixed on the rack, her mind mapped out her future actions in sublime detail. Grabbing the rightmost magazine, jamming it in, doing a roll and firing; she mentally rehearsed the sequence on repeat over the passing moments, knowing that she’d need to nail it perfectly to have any chance at snatching victory.

But this sequence would never come to be.

“Ah?!”

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The ground beneath her right foot suddenly gave way, instantly unbalancing her. Frazzled, she was unable to make the necessary adjustments and flew helplessly through the air before crashing and sliding across the dirt. The visor protected her eyes but the rest of her face was fair game.

“Kuha ah poo,” she spat out, ridding herself of the sand that slipped into her mouth. Sweat and sand combined and the beauty was given a layer of brown makeup. She rushed to get up but was quickly brought down by a tremendous force. Turning her head, she caught the culprit and his smiling face.

Ralf shook his head with fake sorrow as he lamented out loud. “Haa, my handsomeness has done it again. Wherever I walk, beauties can’t help but fall at my feet; is this a gift or a curse, I wonder.”

“Grr…you bastard,” she said, brown makeup joined by red.

Ralf continued as he was, his boot pressing firmly down on her lower back, preventing any escape. Usually, this wouldn’t be enough to hold someone down, but with the two’s colossal strength difference, the best Charlotte could manage in the situation was wiggle in place. Ralf chuckled, finding the sight quite funny, but only seconds later, he’d go silent as the sight invoked a different emotion in him.

‘Damn it,’ Charlotte cursed.

Failing to push herself up again, Charlotte finally relented - or rather, her strength had been tapped out. She lay on her stomach, helpless, no different than a barrel under Captain Morgan’s boot. In the passing silence, her agitation cooled down and her mind worked to piece together the sequence of events.

‘I see, that was his plan. He dug a ring around this spot and waited,’ she thought as she caught the now obvious signs around her. She could even see the shovel used for the task laying next to a tree in the distance.

Ralf had stumbled upon the greyline stone shovel among a collection of statues, depicting various hard hat workers. He ‘borrowed’ it and then upon reaching the sandy section, thought up the pitfall tactic and waited for a victim to arrive. It didn’t take long; not even two minutes later, he sensed Charlotte and Emma making their way over.

Sensing them from a good distance away, he got comfortable on a branch, watched the cat fight conclude, and then when Charlotte passed under him, he sneakily dropped down, gave a shush signal to Emma and trailed after the Onic Master.

‘When people see him, they’ll panic and rush toward the rack, making them more susceptible to fall…damn, he’s probably not even out of ammo.’

Her thoughts were confirmed within seconds as she saw Ralf retrieve a full magazine from his backside and shove it into his paintball gun.

‘Hmm?...what’s he waiting for…ah? Ahaha…looks like Ralf is still a teenager after all,’ she thought, glee replacing all other emotions.

With her identity and figure, she was very attuned to others’ gazes, and where they landed on her. This well-trained ability let her know exactly where Ralf’s attention was pointed, even without turning to look. She smiled to herself, claiming the tiny victory with both hands.

“Hey, what’s the wait for? Don’t tell me you’re distracted by something - or should I say, entranced,” she voiced smugly, even going out of her way to shake from side to side. His subsequent silence only widened the smile on her face.

“Shoot your shot; what you’re waiting for? Or…don’t tell me, you’ve already done so in your pants ahaha,” Charlotte continued joyously.

Ralf remained silent at the accusations, admitting nothing. Though, what he would admit was that the Dreadfall Forest wasn’t the only curvy thing present. Where most females chose to wear camo pants, Charlotte opted for black leggings. The fabric hugged her voluptuous figure tightly, emphasising her wicked curves.

The Transmigrator was indeed ‘distracted’ and Charlotte’s sultry voice and wiggling only dragged his consciousness further away from reality. Thankfully, her laughter triggered his pride, which snapped him awake just in time to stop Charlotte’s latest escape attempt. He stomped down, gently but firmly, placing her back down.

‘Ah…I almost lost,’ Ralf’s eyes flickered at the realisation. ‘I knew she was cunning but I underestimated her. I can’t give this vixen too many chances…or any really. I have to finish her off at once, immediately, right now, as soon as possible…’ Despite the direness in his words, his gaze lingered for a few more seconds before he finally took aim.

“Too cheeky, you are. Know your place, vixen. I’m on top while you’re at the…” Ralf dropped his voice and let his actions complete his sentence.

*Spalt*

“Ow, my ass, Ralf, you…ass!”

Ralf rolled his shoulders. “I just hit the biggest target, don’t blame me,” he said in defence before removing himself from her. “Anyways, I’m off. I have an Event to win. See you later, Charlotte.”

Saying with a glowing smile, he turned and strode off, leaving Charlotte to rub her hurt butt, butthurt. Even after activating her Serenity, her scowl remained.

“Ralf, I won’t forget this. Mark my words, I’ll get you back for this.”

“Ahaha, sure sure, I’ve already marked your ass, so what’s another thing. Also,” Ralf paused to glance back, “preserve this memory well. In time, it will become a precious one for us, let’s dub it: the day you fell for me ahaha…”

“Urgh…bastard,” was all Charlotte could muster as the laughing Ralf vanished into the trees.

She would remain in the dirt for minutes to come, simmering in her emotions while concocting schemes to get back at Ralf.

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